THIS invention relates to a case convertible into a baby carrier. More specifically, the invention relates to a device convertible between a baby carrier and a case, the device being angularly displaceable between an open baby carrier condition and a closed case condition, the device having a closure member for locking the device in the closed condition with the closure member providing storage space in which baby caring articles can be stored.
Devices convertible between different conditions, and in particular convertible between bag or case like and bed-like conditions are known. One such device is taught by SAVRIN in US patent document no. 2502486, which device is in the form of a soft traveling case capable of folding out into a bed for a baby or infant.
A first disadvantage of SAVRIN is that the device has no internal storage space for carrying baby caring articles other than the space in which a baby or infant will be laid down in, in the bed condition. Accordingly, this requires a parent to tediously pack and/or unpack the loose articles as the case is configured between the case like and bed-like conditions.
A second disadvantage of SAVRIN is that being a soft case, the device is not conducive to being used as a baby carrier in which a baby received therein is portable. Rather, the device requires a rigid surface on which it is supportable in a flat condition to act as bed.
A third disadvantage of SAVRIN is that with the device being soft and supportable in a flat condition, the device is not capable of a soothing rocking motion, which most babies require to be lulled to sleep.
Hard shell cases pivotally convertible into bed-like conditions are also known. For example, MYKKO NV in Japanese patent document no. 2006192274, MADISON in US patent document no. 5926881 and SUZHOU ZHENGZHIHUN PATENTED TECHNOLOGY SERVICES CO LTD in Chinese patent document no. 102860645 all disclose versions of such hard shell devices.
It will be appreciated that for such hard shell devices to be configurable into a bed-like condition, the pivoted walls at which a case are normally pivotal in a clam-like fashion must be removed entirely (i.e. open end shells) or movable such that it the bed-like condition, a single cavity is defined for receiving a baby or infant.
MYKKO NV and MADISON both appear to disclose hard shells having open ends to enable pivotally opened shell members to be configured into a bed-like condition. In the closed case like condition, these open ends are closed off by a soft flap-like member. As a result, the weight that can be accommodated in the case is limited by the weight the flap-like member can handle, with the open end furthermore being rendered unusable closing it in this fashion.
SUZHOU ZHENGZHIHUN PATENTED TECHNOLOGY SERVICES CO LTD appears to disclose hard shells having pivotally movable pivoted walls that, with the hard shells pivotally opened into the bed-like condition, are movable towards the inner sidewalls of the hard shells to define a single cavity into which a baby is receivable.
All three of the abovementioned hard shell devices suffer from the same disadvantage as the first disadvantage of SAVRIN. MADISON attempts to resolve the problem with a removable storage draw on a sidewall of one the hard shell, which although impractical, eliminates the need for loosely storing the required baby caring articles.
Furthermore, all three of the hard shell devices opened into the bed-like condition are supportable on a substantially flat surface, and accordingly incapable of imparting a rocking motion to the baby.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device convertible between a baby carrier and a case that addresses the disadvantages of the known prior art devices.